Letter from Rev. T.G. Debbiendt to Bishop Geoghegan

Sion House, Spetisbury, Blandford, Dorsetshire

February 18 1863

My Lord,

Your honourable letter, dated from Rome, Feast of the Purification, reached me on the 16^th. instant.

I need not tell your Lordship how much I felt disappointed on getting acquainted with a decision which of course was totally unexpected, so much the more, that feeling astonished and unquiet, because of your long silence towards Mgr. Boone, I had written several times to him about the matter and had ascertained orally and by letter that I had nothing to fear nor needed not trouble myself, since Your Lordship had left it entirely to him to decide about the matter. I know quite well that it would be useless to insist any longer upon the subject since you could show yourself completely justified on account of your decision being grounded upon my having been engaged in an American Mission, but I wanted at least to give you a proof of my entire reliance on the promises of Mgr. Boone. I entreat thus Your Lordship to alter his opinion as to the mistake he supposed I made on that part.

As to the point, as you say, a new and not encouraging feature arose, viz. my having already been engaged to another foreign mission. I must tell Your Lordship at once that I never was engaged to any foreign mission except the Archdiocese of Westminster, and that you know of. No, my Lord, I never was in any American Mission and if I had been engaged to any whatsoever foreign mission, I would have by no means presented my services without having told you of the fact and the circumstances which might have induced me to leave such a mission.

Now as I do not know whether there be any hope as to make Your Lordship return from his decision I beg to receive my most grateful thanks for the answer you made to the other request. Your decision must not discourage me nor will it prevent me from applying to the Very Reverend Dr. Heptonstall, for as I seek but the glory of God and the salvation of souls, I must not cease asking and knocking until it be opened unto me. And now, my Lord, as I am to be deprived of the honour, nay of the happiness, of sharing your labours, I ask humbly your blessing, that through this my sorrows may be changed into the joys of a more successful application.

Speaking about the foreign missions, I forgot to tell you of a thing, which I fancy must have been the cause of the mistake. As my address had been appointed 146 Gr. Saffron Hill, one may have confounded my name with the name of Father Giemant who is the 2^nd. priest of that mission and who was for 8 years in the Diocese of Nashville. He was in Belgium when the war broke out and as he cannot get into his diocese he intended to remain in London until the war be over. I think it fair to add that before leaving the diocese of Belgium, I had resolved to go to America, but that on account of family matters which do not exist any longer I was obliged to confide myself to England. Since the time that it became known that I was going to leave England, several applications have been made to withdraw me from the purpose with regard to the Australian mission, but as I had thought myself engaged for having offered my services to Your Lordship, I would not even allow their proposals. This of course is a proof that I intended to bind myself for life. Shall I tell Your Lordship of my regrets in our case. No, I prefer to ask your prayers in order that God would spare my life to redeem the five long months I have spent waiting in idleness.

I beg to remain, my Lord,

Your faithful servant in Jesus Christ,

T.G. Debbiendt

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